Designed by ABA (About: Blank Architecture), their proposal for the Minor Charges Court Building focuses on creating a building that is a tool to increase productivity in several levels and at the same time does not represent a burden on the budget of the Department of Justice. As part of a package of public investments in the Department of Justice in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, ABA was challenged to create a building based on an innovative brief to be replicated nationwide, gathering in the same building all minor charges courts. More images and architects' description after the break.
The pillars for the concept development are functionality, durability and sustainability. In terms of volume, verticality and horizontality work together, as a reaction to each court needs. The Civil Court has the biggest necessity of area and therefor extends along four levels. Some areas are developed in one single level. This proposed relation of volumes gave us the dynamism that we were looking for the building. Voids increase this dynamism on a strong relation between empty-full components.
A central axis cuts the horizontal volume defining the entrance, and leading the user to the centre of the building. From there, the core of the building, users are guided to each court or service, through wide corridors and crossing green areas that appear in the patios.
Patios are a key element in the strategy we developed since they are created to bring natural lighting and ventilation to the internal areas of the volumes. They are generous and to be “filled” with vegetation in order to grant precious fresh air. The vegetation in the patios works also as a transition between the surrounding landscape and construction. In the north-east, the intervention area has a untouched native vegetation scenario and it was important for us to extend that to the intervention area.
The idea of a low cost building in terms of use and maintenance was always on our mind, so sustainability and the choice of materials played an important role in the project development. The whole building was thought to save energy and protect users from the weather conditions that are severe in terms of heating.
The customized brise-soleil are the most visible element of the sustainability strategy, but other technologies such as the green roof, photovoltaic panels, solar panels and rainwater reuse work together in order to achieve our goals.
Architects
Location
Cuiabá, BrazilAuthors
André Lira, Érika Santiago, Mariana CapossoliCollaborators
Elisangela Ottonelli, Márcia Aroma, Rui SilvaConsultants
GET/GreenWattClient
Tribunal de Justiça do Mato GrossoStatus
Tender DocumentationProject Year
2012Photographs
Project Year
2012Photographs
Courtesy of Metrocúbico Digital, {"text"=>"", "type"=>"media_provider", "id"=>"5054327428ba0d64b200000f"}
